


Ten Years

by stargatefan_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-10-07 04:44:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10352502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stargatefan_archivist/pseuds/stargatefan_archivist
Summary: SPOILERS : The movie.Daniel has been on Abydos for ten years...





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Yuma, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [Stargatefan.com](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Stargatefan.com). To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [StargateFan Archive Collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/StargateFan_Archive_Collection).

Ten Years

##  Ten Years

##### Written by Kaz   
Comments? Write to us at [karinstaines@freenet.co.uk](mailto:karinstaines@freenet.co.uk)

  * SPOILERS : The movie. 
  * Daniel has been on Abydos for ten years… 
  * PG [A] 



* * *

"Dan-yel !"

Oops. He was going to be in the doghouse again. Lifting his head from its resting-place on the tablet, Daniel licked dry lips and wondered just how long he'd been asleep.

He'd been working on the translation for a couple of days and as always he had lost track of time along the way. Working by the dim gleam of the oil lamp down in the bowels of the pyramid, he had forgotten that it was his turn to cook supper.

He wasn't even sure why he was bothering to translate the inscription… it wasn't like he was ever going to be able to share the information with anyone and after ten years on the planet he hardly ever spoke in English anymore.

He found it ironic in a way; because apart from 'Mom' and 'Dad', his other first words had all been Egyptian, which at the time his parents had found both amusing and disconcerting. He perceived that he'd come full circle in his language, although Abydonian was a derivative of ancient Egyptian, rather than the modern form that so very nearly had been his 'native' tongue.

Cleaning the dust from his glasses, he wrapped them carefully in a small cloth and popped them in the leather satchel on the plinth in front of him. Trying to preserve the cracked lenses as much as possible had become a necessary act after the last encounter with an uncooperative mastage.

Daniel had to laugh at the sight that greeted him as he got up and walked to the doorway. Five little bowls at varying heights were held out around the carved architrave, pitifully showing their lack of contents. A large bowl suddenly appeared… the highest of the lot… waving accusingly at him.

A blast of giggling heralded the onslaught of robed children that launched themselves at him. He crouched down and let himself be tackled to the ground. Arms and legs wiggled uncontrollably as he playfully fought back at his attackers with a barrage of tickling.

The fun stopped momentarily as a shadow loomed over the jumbled mess of bodies. Daniel and the children all studied Sha'uri warily, waiting for her tirade to start. Generally, her lectures were good-natured in their chastisement of Daniel's shortcomings as a husband and father, but occasionally… just occasionally he would find himself on the wrong end of a broom.

This time, she shook her head at him lovingly and then dived headlong into the tickling fray, her fingers seeking out the tender flesh just under Daniel's ribs.

Eventually, their energies were spent and the seven lay panting heavily, intermittent sniggers wracking their frames. Daniel's eyes sought out his wife's, the warmth of his love for her transmitting across the divide and receiving an equal amount in return. Both regarded their children, before their gazes met again.

In the ten years that Daniel had been on Abydos, in the ten years that he had been a husband, they had shared every emotion possible. The elation of the birth of their first child, the depths of despair as Sha'uri miscarried twice before their second.

There had been proud moments of first steps and first words, tempered by worries over illnesses and more sadness when little Ham'achi had died from fever. Laughter and tears seemed to go hand in hand, but the love was always there… a comforting presence to defend their spirits in the darkest hours and in a blissful contrast it increased a hundred-fold any joy that came their way.

The journey of life had led him across the galaxy. He'd had nowhere else to go… 

His career was in tatters… he had no money, no apartment and no friends. Even Sarah had deserted him over his obsession with his theories of ancient civilizations interacting with each other and more absurdly the possibility of alien intervention. He thought he was doomed to live alone, with only his passion for the past as company.

Resigned to that fate, there seemed little choice other than to accept Catherine's offer… at least he would get paid…

Less than three weeks later he was married. Not exactly a whirlwind romance… more of an obligation. Sha'uri would have been outcast by her society had he rejected her father's gift. It didn't take long for him to appreciate the gesture. Love swiftly blossomed and matured and from it grew the fruits of their devotion to each other.

'Anthropologists shouldn't try to change the environments they live amongst to learn about,' a professor had drummed into his class once upon a long time ago… 

But Abydonian men had little time for their women and Daniel just couldn't go along with that. He shared the daily chores and bore the brunt of the jokes that the townsfolk bandied about. Sha'uri could have been embarrassed by the attention he drew to their unusual relationship, but instead she supported his decision and patiently put up with his clumsy attempts at cooking and cleaning for their family.

The children all had Abydonian names, but when inside their home, they were more often called by the ones Daniel had chosen for them… Mel, Clare, Cathy, Nick, David… who hadn't made it… and Jack.

Daniel had often thought about Jack O'Neill… wondered if the Colonel had managed to salvage a life after his return through the Stargate. He hoped so. He wished for the man to have attained peace of mind… happiness… like he had.

When he had found the room of cartouches and realized what it signified he had been very tempted to uncover the Stargate to see if his theory was correct, but Sha'uri had talked him out of it. She thought things were best left alone. He was glad he had listened. What more could he want than he had here ?

Jerked out of his thoughts as he caught the tail end of Sha'uri's words, Daniel watched his boys and girls file obediently from the room, taking their bowls with them. Sha'uri shuffled over to him and caressed his face, kissing him lightly. His arms came up to curl around her. He caught her lips with his, but as his view of her blurred with the close proximity of her features, a beeping noise… an alien sound, interrupted the intensity of the moment and the image of her dusky form skittered away…

Daniel awoke. He reached a hand out to feel the mattress beside him, half expecting it to be still warm from where his wife had been. Coldness met his touch and it shook him, even now, after all this time, the sudden empty pit once again opened up in his chest where his heart should have been.

There hadn't been ten years… just one, filled with joy and love and discovery.

There hadn't been a huddle of children… just one, not his.

The dream was over. In reality, it had ended a long time ago…

His hand lingered awhile on the cool sheets, before he stretched over to the alarm and turned it off.

A saying that one of his foster mothers had drummed into him came to mind, 'Be grateful for what you have.' He was grateful for the start in life that his parents had given him, he had seen the wonders of the world and they'd developed the gift he had that would help unlock their secrets. He was grateful for the memories of the single year he'd had of sharing the wonderment of new love and new family. He was grateful now, for those who had helped to repair the damage caused by what he had lost… both times.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, propelling his body toward the bathroom to prepare for another day, he told himself, not for the first time, that there was no point in dwelling on what might have been…

He had made the decision to reopen the Stargate. He had left Sha'uri and Skaara in the pyramid while he was showing the 'map room' to Jack and Sam, revelling in his monumental find.

There was no going back. What was done, was done…

He would have to live with it.

* * * *

Picking up his keys, he headed for the door. His eyes fell on the bowl that he and Sha'uri had drunk from at their wedding ceremony. Sadly, he averted his gaze. That year had really been great… ten would've been nicer…

Quickly banishing thoughts of a rush of blue eyed, brown haired, deeply tanned, barefoot children from his mind; he pulled the silent apartment's door shut, jabbed a finger into the wet corners of his eyes and went to work…

**The End**

  


* * *

  


> It's my tenth wedding anniversary tomorrow (13th July) and
> 
> seeing as my wonderful hubby (Rob) lets me spend a) so much of my time
> 
> thinking and writing about SG-1 and b) lots of his hard earned cash on 
> 
> DVD's, books, fanzines etc., I thought I should write a special fic and
> 
> dedicate it to him. Here it is - I hope you like it - Rob said he did.

* * *

>   
> © July 13, 2001 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp.  
> The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters  
> who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names,   
> titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television,   
> Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd.   
> Partnership.  
> This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and   
> solely meant for entertainment.   
> All other characters, the story idea and the story itself   
> are the sole property of the author.   
> 

* * *

  



End file.
